Motor for automobiles.



M. & W. EASTMAN.

MOTOR FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1908.

Patented June 1. 1909.

Hozucqs.

wi/h waooo UNITED s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE.

I MORTIMER EASTMAN AND WILLIAM EASTMAN, OF ROSLYN, NEW YORK.

I MOTOR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 24, 1908.

Patented June 1, 1909.

Serial No. 464,290.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MORTIMER EASTMAN and WILLIAM EASTMAN, citizens ofthe United States, and residents of Roslyn, in the county of Nassau andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMotors for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

The invention consists essentially of an internal combustion engine,supplemented by an air compressor and a rotary fluid motor and has forits objects the provision of means for utilizin the residual energy froman internal-combustion, or so-called rimary, engine in accordance withthe varying demands of the load on the system.

Further objects of the invention are to effect a maximum reduction in avibration due to the reciprocating internal-combustion engine, the ty eof engine usually employed, and to effect t e muffling of the exhaustgaseous roducts from said engine, without materia ly sacrificing theefficiency of the primary engine or interfering with the separateoperation of the same when it may e desired.

These objects are accom lished in the power system constructed asereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in Which Figure 1 is an elevation of a chassis of anautomobile with the crankshaft casing of the gas engine and aircompressor, partially broken away, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinalplan view of the same, with the easing of the turbine partially brokenaway, Fig. 3 is an elevation, chiefly, in section of the mechanism forautomatically regulating the supply'of combustible mixture to theenginein accordance with the varying pressure of air in the distributingchests or reservoirs, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same with thefragmentary sections of engine and reservoirs omitted.

The construction of the mechanism as set forth in the drawings, indetail, consists of a frame 1 supported on axles 2 and supporting thebody 3, and a reciprocating internalcombustion, hydrocarbon engine, ofthe compression type, 4. The piston rods 5 of the aforesaid engine,which, as herein shown, is preferably of a two-cylinder type, areconnected with an engine shaft 6, which is, in turn, operativelyconnected with a rotary fluid motor 7, preferably consisting of aturbine wheel 7 rigidly mounted on the main engine shaft. Obviously,however, if desired, the said rotary fluid motor may be in gear withsaid shaft and arranged to rotate at greatly increased speed as comparedthere-- with, being directly in mesh with gearing on said shaft orconnected therewith through the agency of a clutch.

The main engine shaft is connected through the agency of the usualclutch and gears contained in the casing 8, in the manner well known,with a drive-shaft 9, said drive shaft being connected through the usualseries of differentials, contained within the casing 9 with the axle 2of the rear propelling wheel of the vehicle, said vehicle bemg providedwith rear wheels 10 and front wheels 11.- The pipe 12 affordscommunication between the reservoir '13 which consists of threeintercommunicating chests provided with a safety valve 13 that may be reulated to operate at any desired pressure, with the rotary fluid motor7, in the manner usual in turbine construction. A second pi e 12 servesto connect the engine 4 with t e said pipe 12, immediately adjacent thepoint that the same is secured to the casing of said turbine. In thismanner we provide means for not only utilizing the heat contained insaid exhaust products which are conveyed through the pipe 12 from theengine 4 to the pipe 12, to increase the efliciency of the compressedair which is introduced peripherally of the turbine wheel into thecasing, but

thereby an effective muffling of the exhaust gaseous products, issuingfrom the combustion chambers of the gas engine, is accomplished. Infact, while it would seem apparent upon a superficial consideration ofthe matter that the introduction of the exhaust gases from the gasengine into the rotary fluid motor would result in an appreciable lossin efficiency, owing to thereverse impulse which would be expected to beimparted therefrom to the pistons ofthe engine, nevertheless, as amatter of fact, the increased amount of Work obtained from said rotaryfluid motor is more than sufficient to off set any reverse impulseimparted as aforesaid to the pistons, and, in addition to this, the highspeed at which said turbine wheel revolves renders the same an efficientbalance wheel for the main engine shaft, thus largely reducing vibrationof the same and causing it to revolve with a minimum of friction in itsbearings. A foot-lever, or pedal 14, which projects slightly above thefloor of to a piston rod 29 of an elastically 1 the body of said vehicleis connected, by a series of rods and links 15, 16 and 17, with an airthrottle valve 18 in the pipe 12, whereby the amount of air admittedinto the turbine can be suitably regulated. The pipes 12, 12 arepreferably provided with check valves at the inner ends adjacent thereservoir (not shown), in order to permit the passage of air toward theturbine only, thereby preventing the back flow either of air or thegaseous exhaust from the engine into the said reservoir, irrespective ofthe position of the valve 18.

A two-cylinder compressor 19, provided with relief valves 19, isoperatively connected with the engine shaft 6 and thereby compressed airis introduced through the pipe or conduit 20 into the chests of thereservoir 13. Piston rods 21 are connected, by means of a crank 22, witha clutch mechanism, hereinafter described, of the main engine shaft 6and said cranks and piston rods are suitably inclosed in a dust-proofcasing 23. If desired a balance wheel 24 may be secured to the shaft asshown, although, obviously, the said balance wheel will be inoperativefor the purpose intended, except when the air compressor is inoperation.

In order to avoid the necessity of constant observation of the airpressure gage, we provide automatic means for throttling the mixturesupplied to the combustion cylinders of the engine 4. Said meanscomprise a throttle valve 25 in the intake pi e 25, such as shown brokenaway, as it is o vious that said throttle valve maybe positioned at anypoint intermediate the carbureter and the combustion chamber, saidthrottle valve being operatively connected by a system of connectingrods and levers, comprising respectively a connectin rod 26 providedwith a terminal stud 26, a apted to engage with an arc-like groove 28 ofa bell-crank lever 27, pivoted, as shown, at 27. Also said lever isprovided with a groove 28 in its longer arm, said groove beingsubstantially rectilinear, which is adapted to receive a stud 30 securedmounted piston31, which acts against a he cal spring 32 when thepressure in said reservolr increases, and is 1n turn actuated by saidspring as the pressure decreases. Therod 26 is ivotally secured by meansof a stud 34 to a ever. arm 33 of a commutator of the usual type,referably comprising a rotatable disk 25 an a peripheral flangeconcentrically disposed with respect thereto'and in the same plane, saiddisk being provided with a spring contact 35, adapted to periodically enage contact bars 36 on the innermost side 0 the eriphery of theinsulated flange. It is evident, in view of the construction described,that an increase in the pressure in the reservoir 13, would result inthe upward movement of the piston 31, thereby imparting a forwardmovement of the connecting rod 26,

and rotating the link, which connects the valve 25 with said rod, in aclockwise direction, whereby said valve will be partially closed, orentirely closed, according to the amount of increase in pressure.Simultaneously the peripheral flange of said commutator will be rotatedin a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow and thereby thecontact point W111 be shifted in the direction of the arrow, with theresultant reduction in speed of the engine. It is evident of course thatthe speed of the engine is dependent upon the time interval betweensuccessive sparks, and that the change of this time interval is theresult of a change of the point in the cycle at which the charge isfired, and accordingly the ignition of the different charges of theexplosive mixture, under diflerent degrees of compression, will resultfrom theshifting of the contact points of the commutator.

A tank 38 serves to supply a cooling fluid, such as water or denaturedalcohol, or other suitable substance, to the compressors and to theinternal-combustion en ine, the fluid being returned to said tan throughthe return pipe 40, said cooling bein accomplished by means of suitablejacketlng of the cylinder in the manner customary heretofore.

A connecting rod 42, operated b a handle 43, serves to control therelief va ves 19 of the compressor 19, and thereby said valves may beopened at will when said compressor is working thereby preventing anexcessive supply of air being introduced into the reservo1r 13. This isparticularly advantageous in the event that the throttle valve 18 in thepipe 12, which connects the said reservoir with the rotary fluid motor,has been cut off.

A pedal 45 is connected, through the agency of a connectin link 46, witha lever 47, the latter being fuirumed on the engine casing 23 andthereby means is afforded for operating a clutch 48, of commonconstruction, which is adapted to optionall connect and disconnect themain shaft 49 o the compressor with the main shaft of theinternalcombustion engine, to which latter the piston rods 5, of theengine, are secured.

The chief advantages of the construction herein shown, in addition tothose specified herein, consist in the simplicit of construction and theease with which t e component parts of the system may be-connected ordisconnected when it is desired. The vehicle may be started immediatelby the mere admission of the air, at any esired pressure,

from the reservoir into the working chamber -of the rotary fluld impactmotor and also when the vehicle requires an abnormal power to beapplied, either because of excessive load' thereon or because of theexcessive grade that it is desired to mount therewith, the supplementaryower, provided by the storage reservoir an the rotary fluid motor, .11

is not only advantageous, but, in many instances, indispensable.

It is evident that in the construction shown, the introduction of thehot, gaseous exhaust, from the engine, is not only required to increasethe efficiency of the compressed air introduced therewith into theworking-chamber of the turbine, but moreover, by the combination of thecompressed air with these gaseous exhaust products from the engine, weare enabled to obtain an efficiency somewhat greater than could besecured, by the mere utilization of the exhaust gases from the engine,in this manner, without the addition of compressed air. In fact,

in many instances, we prefer to connect the c said turblne wheel withthe mam engine shaft by suitable gearing (not shown in drawings), suchgearing including referably a small in'ion intermeshing with a arge gearwheel, tlie latter being rigidly secured to the main engine shaft. Thesaid small pinion.

may be permanently connected with the shaft of said turbine wheel orsecured thereto through the agency of an intermediate clutch-mechanism,whereby the said turbine may be optionally thrust into or out of gearwith said main engine shaft. The intermediate gears will permit ofdeveloping the full efiiciency of the turbine, as high pressure producedby the said compressors will produce the high speed required to developsaid efl'iciency of the turbine. The clutch mechanism 48 permits of thesaid compressors being entirely thrown out of operation at any desiredmoment, whereby the motor mechanism of the vehicle will consist merelyof the disconnected engine 4 and the rotary motor 7, but even thiscombination-will produce extraordinarily satisfactory results in so faras vibration and noise are concerned, but the] efliciency, however, ofthe turbine, when supplied only with theexhaust from the engine, is solow as to be almost negligible when com ared with the real efliciencyproduced by t e combination of the hot, gaseous exhaust with air, undersufficient pressure to rotate the turbine, irrespective of the loadthereon, at efficient speeds.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. The comblnatlon, comprising a reciprocating, 1nternalcombust1on,hydrocarbon engine of the compression type, a rotary fluid impact motoroperatively connected to a common engine with said internal-combustionengine, means, including an air compressor and a reservoir, forsupplving motive power to said rotary motor, a clutchmechanism arrangedintermediate said engine and said compressor and adapted to optionallyconnect and disconnect said compressor and said engine, means fordelivering a mixture of compressed air, generated by said compressor andexhaust gaseous products from said engine, into the working-chamber ofsaid rotary motor, whereby preheating of the compressed air priorto itsexpansion is accomplished, automatic means for controlling the firing ofthe explosive charges in said internal-combustion engine and forsimultaneously throttling the supply of explosive charges to saidengine, and means for optionally cutting off communication between saidreservoir and said rotary motor.

2. Thecombination, comprising a reciprocating, internal-combustion,hydrocarbon 1 engine of the compression type, a rotary fluid impactmotor operatively connected to a common engine shaft with saidinternalcombustion engine, means, including an air compressor and areservoir, for supplying motive power to said rotary motor, a clutchmechanism arranged intermediate said engine and said compressor, andadapted to optionally connect and disconnect said compressor and saidengine, means for delivering a mixture of compressed air, generated bysaid compressor, and exhaust gaseous roducts from said engine, into thewor'ingchamber of said rotary motor, whereby preheating of thecompressed air, priorto its expansion, is accomplished, means forcontrolling the firing of the explosive charges in saidinternal-combustion engine, means for throttling the supply of explosivecharges to sand engine, and means for optionally cutting oilcommunication between said reservoir

